Originally breaking news of his abdication in May, Shearer spoke candidly about wanting the freedom to pursue work outside of The Simpsons, something executive producer Al Jean contested that both Shearer and his fellow castmates already had. According to Entertainment Weekly, production had officially commenced on Season 27 without Shearer, though Simpsons fans will only endure a small absence of such characters as Mr. Burns, Ned Flanders, Principal Skinner, Kent Brockman, Reverend Lovejoy and more. Production also already had its first seven episodes in the can prior to Shearer’s exit.

Deals for the cast members reportedly run for four seasons (including options for Seasons 29 and 30), and are estimated at upwards of $300,000 per episode. Shearer finally signed the same contract as the other Simpsons castmates, something Jean had been adamant about, marking it unclear exactly what changed Shearer’s mind.